Evaporative cooler and pad frame latch means therefor



De. 24, 1963 A. D. GOETTL ETAL 3,

EVAPORATIVE COOLER AND PAD FRAME LATCH MEANS THEREFOR Original Filed Dec. 28, 1959 INVENTOR.

ADAM D. GOETTL AND BY JOHN GOETTL United States Patent 3,115,222 EVAPGRATHVE CUOLER AND PAD FRAME LATCH MEANS TEEREFOR Adam D. Goettl and John Goettl, both of Phoenix, Arm, assignors to Me-Graw-Edison Company, Chicago, 11L, a

corporation of Delaware Griginal application Dec. 28, 1959, tier. No. 862,396 new Patent No. 3,671,218, dated .lan. l, 1963. Divided and this application Apr. 16, 1962, Ser. No. 187,585

4 Qlaims. (Cl. ll8--34) This invention relates to a pad frame latch means for evaporative coolers and more particularly to a latch means for evaporative coolers which functions to provide facility in the removal of pad frames from evaporative coolers.

The present application is a division of our former application for An Evaporative Cooler and Pad Frame Latch Means Therefor, Serial No. 862,396, filed December 28, 1959.

Various devices have been used to retain evaporative cooler pad frames in position with respect to the main frame of an evaporative cooler, however, many of these devices are difficult to operate or require tools for the removal or replacement of pad frames with respect to the main frame of an evaporative cooler.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a pad frame latch means for evaporative coolers which is manually operable without the use of tools and which provides facility in the removal or replacement of an evaporative cooler pad frame relative to the main frame of an evaporative cooler.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pad frame latch means for evaporative coolers wherein a spring loaded latch member normally tends to hold a pad frame securely in position relative to the main frame of an evaporative cooler whereby the latch may be actuated against its spring loading to remove a pad frame from the main frame of the evaporative cooler.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel pad frame latch means for evaporative coolers which is located in a corner member of an evaporative cooler main frame so that the latch means may operate in conjunction with a pair of adjacent pad frames at each corner of the evaporative cooler.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pad frame latch means for evaporative coolers wherein a single spring disposed in a corner frame member of an evaporative cooler is useful to exert a yieldable force upon a pair of latch members disposed to engage adjacent pad frames abutting a corner frame member of the evaporative cooler main frame.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pad frame latch means for evaporative coolers which provides manually movable detent action at the upper corners of an evaporative cooler pad frame whereby the release of the latch means permits the upper edge of the evaporative cooler to be pivoted outwardly about a fulcrum point on the main frame of the evaporative cooler, adjacent the lower edge of said pad frame, thereby greatly facilitating the installation or removal of an evaporative cooler pad frame from the main frame of an evaporative cooler.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pad frame latch means for evaporative coolers wherein a cooler pad frame is provided with a fulcrum bearing near its lower edge which bears upon a portion of the main frame of an evaporative cooler thereby permitting the upper edge of the evaporative cooler pad frame to be pivotal relative to the main frame and laterally thereof whereby, resiliently loaded latch means engages the upper edge of the pad frame relative to the main frame of the ice evaporative cooler when pivoted into flush position with the side thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pad frame latch means for evaporative coolers which generally facilitates and improves the installation and removal functions of pad frames relative to evaporative cooler main frames.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pad frame latch means for evaporative coolers which is very simple and economical of construction and which is very durable in operation.

Further objects and advantages of the invention may be apparent from the following specification, appended claims, and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an evaporative cooler showing a pad frame latch means thereon and constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing the latch means of the invention supported on a corner frame member of an evaporative cooler and showing one of the latch elements in open position and the other in closed position relative to a pad frame;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 33 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view taken from the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, an evaporative cooler 20 is provided with a top pan 22 and a sump pan 24. These pans 22 and 24 are interconnected by corner frame members 26 thereby forming a main frame for the evaporative cooler. Removably positioned in the main frame of the evaporative cooler between the corner members 26 and forming sides of the evaporative cooler are evaporative cooler pad frames 28. These pad frames 28 are provided with air inlet louvers 30 and inwardly thereof each pad frame supports a fibrous evaporative cooler pad which is generally operated in wet condition whereby air passing through the louvers 30 evaporates moisture in the fibrous material of the pad and the air is thus cooled for delivery to a dwelling.

The normally lower edges 32 of the pad frames 28 are provided with ledge bearing portions 34, as shown best in FIG. 3 of the drawings. These ledge bearing portions 34 are arcuate in cross section and rest upon a fulcrum edge 36 which is actually the upper edge of the pan 24. Thus, the pad frames 28 are pivotally mounted on the upper edge 36 of the pan 24 and may be pivoted outwardly in the direction of the arrow A when released by the pad frame latch means of the invention. This pad frame latch means of the invention is provided with a plurality of latch levers 38, two of which are located on each corner frame member 26 near the upper edge portions of the pad frames 28.

As shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, each corner frame member 26 is provided with a pair of openings 4d through which the levers 38 extend. These levers 38 are provided with outwardly curved manual finger engaging portions 42 and internally of the corner frame members 26 these levers are provided with a T-head 44 to prevent them from sliding outwardly through the openings 40.

Each lever 33 is provided with an inwardly directed flange 46 which is engaged by one end of a plate spring 43 secured centrally of the corner frame member 26 by a metal screw 50. Resilient action of the spring 48 exerts force on the end 46 of each lever 48 thereby tending to pivot it about a fulcrum formed by the shoulder 52 of each T-head 44 adjacent the opening 40. Thus, force exerted by the spring 48 tends to hold each lever 38 in the direction of the arrow B, in FIG. 2 of the drawings. In this position, the lever 33 firmly en- 3 gages the outer side 54 of the evaporative cooler pad frame 28 thereby holding it firmly against an offset portion 56 which is recessed from the corner of the frame member 26 to receive the flange 58 of the pad frame 28.

It will be noted that when the flange end 46 is pivoted into the position, as shown at C, in FIG. 2 of the drawings this flange end 46 passes over center relative to the respective opening 40 thereby holding the latch lever 38 in outwardly extended open position relative to the recess portion 56 thereby permitting removal of the evaporative cooler pad frame by pivoting it away from the main cooler in the direction of the arrow A, shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings. Thus, the pad frame may be readily raised upwardly and outwardly of the main frame of the cooler until the lower edge of the pad frame clears the upper edge 36 of the sump pan 24.

During installation of the spring 48, its opposite ends are extended through openings 53 in the corner frame member 26 thereby holding the spring in a broken line position E until the screw 5% is inserted therein and tightened down to pull the spring into the solid line position, as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, it will be seen that the portion 42 of the latch lever 38 overlaps the outer side of the pad frame 28 thereby securely retaining it in place with respect to the main frame of the evaporative cooler.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications of the present invention may be resorted to in a manner limited only by a just interpretation of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a pad frame latch means for evaporative coolers the combination of: an evaporative cooler main frame having a corner frame member; an evaporative cooler pad frame adjacent to said corner frame member; a plate spring secured in said corner member; a latch lever pivotally mounted on the corner member and engaged by said spring; one end of said lever being contacted by said spring and the opposite end of said lever engaging the outer side of said cooler pad frame, said corner frame member having an opening through which said opposite end of said lever projects to the outer side of said corner frame member; shoulder means on said lever engaging said corner frame member at said opening therein to form a pivotal fulcrum for said lever.

2. In a pad frame latch means for evaporative cooler the combination of: an evaporative cooler main frame having a corner frame member; an evaporative cooler pad frame adjacent to said corner frame 1 ember; a plate spring secured in said corner member; a latch lever pivotally mounted on the corner member and engaged by said spring; one end of said lever being contacted by said spring and the opposite end of said lever engaging the outer side of said cooler pad frame; said corner frame member having an opening therein; said latch lever pivoted in said opening; shoulder means on said lever engaging said corner frame member at said opening therein to form a pivotal fulcrum for said lever.

3. In a pad frame latch means for evaporative coolers the combination of: an evaporative cooler main frame havi. g a corner frame member; an evaporative cooler pad at each side of said corner frame member; a plate spring secured in said corner member and having opposite ends directed toward opposite portions of said corner member; a pair of latch levers pivotally mounted in said corner member and engaged by said spring near its opposite ends; one end of each lever being contacted by said spring and the opposite end of each lever engaging the outer side of a respective cooler pad frame adjacent said corner member.

4. In a pad frame latch means for evaporative coolers the combination of: an evaporative cooler main frame having a corner frame member; an evaporative cooler pad at each side of said corner frame member; a plate spring secured in said corner member and having opposite ends directed toward opposite portions of said corner member; a pair of latch levers pivotally mounted in said corner member and engaged by said spring near its opposite ends; one end of each lever being contacted by said spring and the opposite end of each lever ongaging the outer side of a respective cooler pad frame adjacent said corner member; said corner frame member having a pair of openings therein; said latch levers pivoted in said openings.

References fitted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. IN A PAD FRAME LATCH MEANS FOR EVAPORATIVE COOLERS THE COMBINATION OF: AN EVAPORATIVE COOLER MAIN FRAME HAVING A CORNER FRAME MEMBER; AN EVAPORATIVE COOLER PAD FRAME ADJACENT TO SAID CORNER FRAME MEMBER; A PLATE SPRING SECURED IN SAID CORNER MEMBER; A LATCH LEVER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE CORNER MEMBER AND ENGAGED BY SAID SPRING; ONE END OF SAID LEVER BEING CONTACTED BY SAID SPRING AND THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID LEVER ENGAGING THE OUTER SIDE OF SAID COOLER PAD FRAME, SAID CORNER FRAME MEMBER HAVING AN OPENING THROUGH WHICH SAID OPPOSITE END OF SAID LEVER PROJECTS TO THE OUTER SIDE OF SAID CORNER FRAME MEMBER; SHOULDER MEANS ON SAID LEVER ENGAGING SAID CORNER FRAME MEMBER AT SAID OPENING THEREIN TO FORM A PIVOTAL FULCRUM FOR SAID LEVER. 